Hi Felix,
Thanks for bringing up this hot topic, we get this question asked quite often and by having it here we hope people needing to know can find the answer conveniently.
Seeed OPL parts are local parts in our warehouse, we already have them in-stock and they practically next door to the assembly line. For good measure I’ll also mention that, Shenzhen OPL parts also “local” but not stored in Seeed’s premises. Either way, both sources can easily supply parts in a short amount of time.
Non-OPL parts can range from anything from parts on DigiKey to parts from an obscure link or direct from the original manufacturer. Initial sourcing and then order processing may take time, and then, being in China, often we also need to have them imported and that means processed by customs. This process takes a long time and there isn’t a lot we can do about it. And then once the parts come in, they have to go through quality inspection since we cannot guarantee the source, especially if they are not from a reputable supplier. With OPL parts, they are either standardized or have already have been through quality inspection.
So rather, it is not 3x longer manufacturing but 3x longer sourcing. So we strongly recommend taking advantage of local parts whenever possible!
Hope that clears it up!